Description

In this gripping imagining of the last hours of President Gaddafi, Yasmina Khadra provides us with fascinating insight into the mind of one of the most complex and controversial figures of recent history.

‘People say I am a megalomaniac. It is not true. I am an exceptional being, providence incarnate, envied by the gods, able to make a faith of his cause.’

October 2011. In the dying days of the Libyan civil war, Muammar Gaddafi is hiding out in his home town of Sirte along with his closest advisors. They await a convoy that will take them south, away from encroaching rebel forces and NATO aerial attacks. The mood is sombre. In what will be his final night, Gaddafi reflects on an extraordinary life, whilst still raging against the West, his fellow Arab nations and the ingratitude of the Libyan people.

Reviews

‘Captivating and perversely delightful.’ The Wall Street Journal

‘Khadra has a good sense of pace: the leader’s thoughts turn over at the right speed.’ London Review of Books

‘I loved the idea of this book and it was fascinating to read about Col. Gadaffi in a fictionalised setting.’ Sarah S., NetGalley reviewer

Bonus Material

Meet the author

Yasmina Khadra is the author of more than 20 novels, including The Swallows of Kabul and The Attack, both shortlisted for the IMPAC literary award. Khadra’s work has been published in 45 countries. He has twice been honoured by the Académie française, winning both the Médaille de vermeil (2001) and…